Consonant Cluster Simplification is widespread

[Matthew Gordon]

There is at least one thing special about deletion of /t/ and /d/: it's
subject to morphological conditioning that wouldn't be relevant with other
consonants. It's well documented, e.g., that deletion is more frequent in
monomorphemic contexts (e.g. past) than when the cluster is the result of
suffixation (e.g. passed).


On 9/5/08 4:30 PM, "RonButters at AOL.COM" <RonButters at AOL.COM> wrote:

> Arnold is right that SAN' DOLLAR and WRIS' WATCH can be termed examples of
> "t/d deletion" in that they exhibit deletion of /t/ and /d/ respectively. I
> disagree that "t/d deletion" is a "standard term" any more than /k/ deletion
> is a
> "standard term." The "standard term" is Consonant Cluster
> Simplification--there is nothing special about /t/ and /d/ (except that the
> deletion of /t/ occurs
> in the change of "n't" to "n'") and nothing special about /d/ at all

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